Compare towns
Gardner vs Bourne vs Spencer
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gardner has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.2%).
Bourne has the most expensive homes ($576k median).
Spencer has the most people working from home (15%).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Gardner | Bourne | Spencer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 21,148Highest |
20,323 |
12,008Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.5% MA: +7.4% |
+2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3Lowest 9% above MA |
52±1.8Highest 30% above MA |
48.9±6.8 22% above MA |
| Bourne and Spencer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
14.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
16.4%±3.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Gardner and Spencer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
29.8%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
26%±4.4 MA: 17.9% |
| Bourne and Spencer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
46%Highest MA: 47.3% |
29.1% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.6%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.2%±2.4 MA: 7.9% |
| Bourne and Spencer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $67,518±$8kLowest 35% below MA |
$91,058±$7kHighest 12% below MA |
$80,533±$11k 23% below MA |
| Bourne and Spencer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA |
$575,600±$28kHighest about the MA average |
$382,000±$22k 32% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,109±$51 37% below MA |
$1,379±$300Highest 22% below MA |
$1,078±$161Lowest 39% below MA |
| Bourne and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,150Lowest 31% below MA |
$4,485Highest 25% below MA |
$4,387 27% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.7%±8.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
50.6%±10.3 MA: 51.8% |
| Bourne and Spencer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.7%Highest MA: 10% |
6.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
11% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
75.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
63% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 5% above MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
34 minHighest 18% above MA |
| Work from home | 13.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
14.9%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
15%±7.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Spencer and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #273 of 282 in MA | #206 of 282 in MA | #261 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Gardner | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Spencer-E Brookfield |
| High school in town | Gardner High | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | David Prouty High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
9.8Lowest |
9.9 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.